Agenda item

To consider a report seeking members’ endorsement of the Denbighshire Local Development Plan Draft Review Report together with accompanying draft Delivery Agreement, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report and updated background Information Papers for consultation (copy attached).

A report was submitted seeking members’ endorsement of the Denbighshire Local Development Plan (LDP) Draft Review Report together with accompanying Delivery Agreement, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report and updated background Information Papers for public consultation before submission to the Welsh Government.

The Strategic Planning and Housing Manager provided some background to the report and guided members through the documentation, outlining the timetable and process for developing Denbighshire’s replacement Local Plan and highlighting the different stages within the process and important considerations, including the opportunity for members, the public and key stakeholders to input as part of the consultation exercise.  The draft report highlighted where changes to the policy approach were needed but did not set out what those changes should be at this stage.  The Chair urged members to respond to the forthcoming consultation with their views and comments on the draft policy.

In response to questions officers –

·         confirmed it was a statutory requirement to have an LDP and highlighted the benefits of that approach in order to set local policy instead of being reliant on national and government policies, illustrating the problems and vulnerabilities faced by other local authorities, particularly in terms of housing developments

·         provided assurances regarding the timescales for the eight week consultation period advising that the consultation was likely to commence mid-August and would continue until at least the end of September and possibly the beginning of October to ensure sufficient time for comments

·         advised that Welsh Language was a statutory planning consideration and drew attention to the Information Paper on Respecting Distinctiveness which included Welsh Language and highlighted the level of Welsh Language spoken in particular areas.  All of the consultation documentation would be produced bilingually

·         elaborated upon the housing land supply and housing completions from 2006 and population projects and annual dwelling requirements.  Much more indepth discussions on how that information informed the LDP in future was required.

The Chair read out the officer recommendations and upon being put to the vote it was unanimously –

RESOLVED that members endorse the Denbighshire Local Development Plan Draft Review Report (attached as Appendix 2), together with accompanying draft Delivery Agreement, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report and updated background Information Papers for consultation.

The meeting concluded at 11.00 a.m.